Combined military gabment and belt



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E. RICE. COMBINED MILITARY GARMENT AND BELT. No. 523,177.-

Patented July 17, 1894.

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E. RICE. COMBINED MILITARY GARMENT AND BELT. No. 523,177. Patented July 17, 1894.

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COMBINED MILITARY GARMBNT AND BELT. l

No. 523,177 Patented July 17, 1894.

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COMBINED MILITARY GARMENT AND BELT. No. 523,177.

" Patented July 17, 1894.

' vices shown in Figs. 1 and 3, illustrating the 'tening the device to thek person when used in claims.

' 11 is an inside view of the device shown in EDMUND RICE, OF THE ATENE YEEICE.

UNITED sTA'rEs ARMY.

SPECIFICATION forming para of Letters Patent No. 523,177, dated July 17, 1894.

v Application filed May 1f?, 1894:. Serial No. 5111616- (NO mOGl :To all whom it may con/cern.-

Be it known that I, EDMUND RICE, a citizen of the United States, and an officer in the United States Army, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Military Garments, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to combined military garments and belts, shoulder straps, and similar devices, adapted to be worn upon the person to support articles to be carried, and the objects in view are to provide a belt with extensions or flaps, which, when spread, adapt the device .for use, as a garment, either for citizens or soldiery; and furthermore to provide the device with supporting or suspending appliances, which may be used when the article is .used'as a belt or shoulder strap, o r as a garment, and to provide means for fas-A,

either capacity.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will 'be particularly pointed out in the appended In the drawings-Figure 1 is a view of the device with the flaps or extensions spread, as when in use as a garment. Fig. 2 is a view of the device folded and adapted for 'use as a' belt or shoulder strap. Fig. 3 is a view of the device providedwith extensions or flaps of dierent form from those shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view of the same with the extensions or flaps folded. Fig. 5 is a front view of the device shown in Fig. 1 in use as a gar ment. Fig. 6 is arear view of the same. Fig. 7 is a front view showing the manner of using both of the devices illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, as garments. Fig. 8 is a view of said demanner of using the same respectively as a belt and a shoulder strap. Fig. 9 is a View showing the manner of using said devices as shoulder straps. Fig. 10 is a side view showing the manner of using one of the devices as a garment, and the other as a strap. Fig.

Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresuit the desired shape of the garment when extended.

In Fig. 1 I have shown flaps A, which are constructed to form a chest andloin protector,

adapted especially for use in the military service, but which may be worn by others engaged in out of door occupation. In Fig. 3, on the other hand, I have shown the device provided with extensions or flaps B, which are constructed to form a cape, adapted to be worn around the shoulders. It should be underst-ood however, that I do not limit myself to any particular form of iiaps or extensions.

The belt or strap proper 'is shown at a, and when the device is designed for use in the military service, said belt or strap is preferably provided with receptacles for cartridges. This belt is provided near its extremities with series of eyelets @adapted to facilitate the fastening of the device around the waist or over the shoulder by means of hooks, lacings, or other means in common use for thisV purpose, and therefore not illustrated in the drawings. The belt or strap proper is further provided at intervals with flexible straps or holding devices e, adapted to be extended around the liaps or extensions when the latter, are rolled, or folded, contiguous to the belt or `strap proper, in order to hold said flaps or extensions in a compact roll or bundle resembling a belt or strap.

Referring to the form of my invention which is shown in Fig. l, the extremities of the upper ap are provided with a hook c, and an eye c to facilitate the fastening of the garment around the throat of the wearer, and secured to the iaps are strengthening bands, to which are attached hooks d and eyelets b', adapted to be used to support a haversack, canteen, or other article, which the wearer desires to carry.

Referring to the form of my invention which is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 11,'the flaps are provided with eyelets b', to facilitate fasten- IOO ing around the throatof the wearer, and with bands or straps f provided with eyelets g adapted to support a haversack, canteen, dac.

It will be understood that the specific construction of the means for securing the ends of the belt or strap together, when the device is used as a belt or strap, and the means for supporting or suspending articles to be carried by the wearer, whether the device is in lts folded or extended condition, may be variedwithout departing from the spirit or sacricmg any of the advantages of my inventlon, and that the particular shape of the tia ps or extensions, and of the means for holdlng such flaps or extensions when folded may be modified to suit the particular use for which the improved belt is designed.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim isl. A belt or strap provided with flaps or extensions adapted to be spread to form a garment, substantially as specified.

2. A belt having a body portion, and flexible aps or extensions, said fiaps adapted when extended to form a garment and when folded to lie contiguous to the body portion, substantially as specified.

3. A belt provided with flaps or extensions adapted to be spread to form a garment, and means for holding the flaps or extensions when folded, substantially as specified.

4. A belt provided with terminal fastening devices and having flaps or extensions provided With means for holding the same in position when in use as a garment, substantially as specified.

5. A belt provided with flaps or extensions Aand short straps attached to the belt and EDMUND RICE.

Witnesses:

FRED. A. SMITH, C. B. I-IEPPIN. 

